Hey guys just checking to see if it is ok to clean your air filters and reuse them. Or should you dispose of your old one and buy new. Thanks

dhicks

11-02-2001, 08:46 PM

I buy New and use New filters. I'd rather pinch a penny someplace else.:D

HacMan91

11-02-2001, 08:47 PM

I blow mine out a few times then replace them(Exmark and Walker). I have a compressor with a small air nozzle. I can just about make them look brand new just by blowing them out.

BRL

11-02-2001, 09:07 PM

If you are talking about the foam wrap, or pre filter, these are washable & reusable (dish soap & water). You shouldn't blow compressed air into the actual filter. This is because there are Micro Filaments in there that are fragile (you can't see them). Using compressed air on these comprimises the integrity of the filtering, thereby allowing more dirt particles to pass through than they are designed to keep out. Bad for the engine.

Craig Turf Management

11-02-2001, 09:14 PM

I clean the prefilter every week, and replace the filter with a new unit every month during mowing season. Better new air filter than a new engine.

Bill!

Flex-Deck

11-02-2001, 09:36 PM

I blow out my air filters a couple of times, and have a diesel yanmar with a 2 filter system. I am talking about the primary filter. I only blow from the inside - out as you can disrupt the filters efficiency by blasting it off from the outside - creating channels for dust to go in later. Also - I do not use anything but a gentle air flow. I remove most of the dust by gentle tapping on the cement driveway.

KerryB

11-05-2001, 08:51 AM

I'm with brl on tis one. I worked in the auto business fo 15 years. Blowing out the filter opens up the pores in the filter material and allows more dirt past thefilter.

thelawnguy

11-05-2001, 09:30 AM

I, too, learned years ago that you never, ever, use compressed air on pleated paper elements. A light tap on the bench to loosen dirt, but you destroy their filtering ability by blowing them out.

HOWARD JONES

11-05-2001, 09:41 AM

Just curious to know if you guys are oiling your foam prefilters - I do, and they get rather dirty in 10 hours but the paper filter has no visible dust on it - a good thing, I guess! So, I haven't done anything to the paper filter in 100 hours but regularly clean and oil the foam prefilter.

HOMER

11-05-2001, 10:21 AM

Tap them out and then blow with the blower at 1/2 throttle to blow away what I loosened up. Replace as needed.

Eric ELM

11-05-2001, 11:37 AM

If you have a Donaldson Filter, they last a long time on a gas engine. The diesel sucks lots more air so they need attention much more often.

I blow mine off from a distance of at least a foot. After doing this, I hold them up to a bright light or the sun to see if light still comes though OK. If most of the holes are clogged, it's time to change them. My old Chopper has had one new filter put in at 2,000 hours and I expect it will need a new one at 4,000 hours too. It now has 3,808 hours on it so I probably will put a new on on it next spring when it gets a bit more clogged.

The diesel does pull lots more air in the intake, so I replaced that one at 500 hours the first time.

Albemarle Lawn

11-05-2001, 06:49 PM

On ZTR's & WB's, we follow the instructions which are to clean the foam element at least every 25 hours, more under dusty conditions.

I have found that Permatex FAST ORANGE hand cleaner does a magnificent job of cleaning the foam element.

ALWAYS OIL FOAM ELEMENT ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS. It traps way more dirt and if you follow the manufacturer's instructions you will find that the paper element hardly ever gets dirty even if the foam is filthy.